time they suffer many sowre apprehensions to arise in their hearts against us in a much altered tune and temper Then would they with much amazednesse and terrible feare yell out those now too late hideous complaints We fooles counted his life madnesse c. we wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction c. What hath pride profited us c. Then would they curse all dawbers and justifie all downe-right dealers contempt of whose counsell would now cut in peeces their very heart-strings with restlesse anguish and horrour and mightily strengthen the never-dying worme whereby the enraged soule will thrust its owne hands as it were into its owne bowels and teare open the very fountaine of life and sense to feed upon it selfe For the worme of conscience say Divines is onely a continuall remorse and furious reflexion of the soâ—…le upon its owne wilfull folly and thereby the wofull misery it hath brought upon it selfe 2. This may serve to stirre up all the sonnes and daughters of wisdome to hoard up with all holy greedinesse instead of earthly pelfe transitory toyes and shining clay the rich and lasting treasures of divine wealth and immortall graces For these heavenly jewels purchased with CHRISTS bloud and planted in the heart by the omnipotent hand of the HOLY GHOST will shine comfortably upon our soules with beames of blessednesse and peace amid all the miseries and confusions the darknesse and most desperate dangers of this present life nay in the very valley of the shadow of death their splendour and spirituall glory will not onely dissolve and dispell all mists of horrour which can possibly arise from the apprehension of hell the grave those last dreadfull pangs or any other terrible thing but also illighten conduct and carie us triumphantly thorow the abhorred confines of the King of feare upon the wings of joy and in the armes of Angels to unapproachable light unknowne pleasures and endlesse blisse It may be as yet thou standest upright without any changes unstir'd in thy state by any adverse storme supposing thy mountaine so strong that thou shalt never be mooved Thus long perhaps the Allmighty hath beene with thee His candle hath shined upon thy head and His patient providence rested with all favour and successe upon thy Tabernacle so that hitherto thou hast seene no dayes of sorrow but even washed thy steps with butter and the rocke hath powred thee out rivers of oyle c. Yet for all this the day may come before thou die that thou maist be stript of all and become as poore as Iob as they say by fire robbery suretiship ship-wracke the destroying sword desolations of war or by the hand of GOD in some other kind Even A day an houre a moment saith one is enough to over-turne the things that seemed to have beene founded and rooted in adamant Labour therefore industriously before-hand so to furnish and fortifie thine heart with patience noblenesse of spirit Christian fortitude the mightinesse of Iobs faith Cap. 13. 15. And his manifold integrities Cap. 31. That if such an evill day should come upon thee and who can looke for exemption when he lookes upon Iobs affliction thou maist with an unrepining submission to GODS good providence and pleasure take up his sweetest resolution and repose Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the LORD gave and the LORD hath taken away blessed be the name of the LORD Though as yet by a miracle of rarest mercy calmnesse and serenity rest upon the firmament of our state yet who knowes how soone especially sith many of GODS dearest servants beyond the seas have lyen so long in teares and bloud some dismall cloud and tempestuous storme may arise out of the hellish â—…ogs of our many hainous sinnes and crying abominations and breake out upon us and that with greater terrour and farre more horribly by reason of the unexpectednesse and our present desperate security Though the Sun of the Gospell and glory of a matchlesse Ministry shine yet full faire among us in the Meridian of our peace and prosperous daies yet little know we how soone and suddenly it may decline and set in a sea of confusion calamity and woe And therefore hoard up greedily in the meane time and while the Sun shines a rich treasury of saving knowledge grace and good life that if need require thou maist then resolutely reply with blessed Paul against all contradictions and temptations to the contrary I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die for the name of the LORD IESVS Though at this present thou doest perhaps with much sweet contentment enjoy thy GOD comfortably and His pleased face many heavenly deawes of spirituall joy glorious refreshings and abundance of spirituall delights fall upon thy soule from the Throne of mercy every time thou commest neare Him Thou canst say unto thy Dearest out of thy present feeling I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine and in some good measure keepe a part with the Saints of old in such victorious and triumphant Songs as these Oh that my words were now written Oh that they were printed in a booke That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rocke for ever For I know that my Redeemer liveth c. We will not feare though the earth be remooved and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the sea though the waters thereof roare and be troubled though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof Selah I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers c. Yet for all this that onely wise GOD of thine may hereafter for some cause seeming good to Himselfe and for thy good with-draw from thee the light of His countenance and sense of His love and leave thee for a time to the darknesse of thine owne spirit and Satans â—…orest temptations c. Ply therefore in this prosperity of thy soule all blessed meanes the Ministry Sacraments Prayer Conference Meditations humiliation-dayes holinesse of life clearenesse of conscience watching over thy heart walking with GOD sanctified use of afflictions experimentall observation of GODS dealings with thee from time to time workes of justice mercy and truth c. Thereby so to quicken fortifie and steele thy faith that in the bitterest extremity of thy spirituall distresse thou maist be able to say with Iob Though He slay me yet will I trust in Him Iob 13. 15. A thousand crosses moe calamities and troubles may over-take thee before thou takest thy leave of this vale of teares It will be thy wisdome therefore now in this calme to provide for a storme to treasure up out of GODS Booke many mollifying medicines and soveraigne antidotes against all slavish and vexing fore-thought of them in the meane time and their bitternesse when they shall come upon thee Thou maist be assured if thou be a sonne thy
mooving Orbs. 2 Cor. 3. 2. Eph. 4. 10. 1 Kin. 8. 27. 30. 39. 43. 49. And it is the biggest and most beautifull Body of the whole creation incorruptible unmooveable unalterable wholly shining with the most exquisite glory and brightnesse of purest light wherein as in a confluence of all possible felicities Iehovah GOD blessed for ever doth familiarly and freely communicate Himselfe to be beatifically seene and fully enjoyed face to face of all the elect humane and Angelicall spirits for ever Where the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST shines with unconceiveable splendour above the brightnesse of the Sun c. This place most excellent replenished with those unknowne pleasures which attend everlasting happinesse where GOD blessed for ever is seene face to face is made admirable and illustrious by its bignesse and beauty Guesse the immeasurable magnitude and beautifull signes of it 1. By its description Rev. 21. It is called Ver. 10. by an excellency That great City c. Which if it be immediately meant as many learned and holy Divines would have it of the glory of the Church here on earth when both Iewes and Gentiles shal be happily united into one Christian Body and Brother-hood before CHRISTS second comming it is no lesse pregnant to proove that the Heaven of Heavens is a place most glorious above all comparison and conceipt For if there be such goodlinesse amplitude beauty and majesty in this Militant Church how infinitely will this beauty be yet more beautified and all this glory glorified with incredible additions in the Church Triumphant If there be such excellency upon earth what may we expect in the Heaven of Heavens 2. By those many Mansions prepared for many thousand thousands of glorified Bodies after the last Day Ioh. 14. 2. Besides the numberlesse numbers of blessed Angels the present inhabitants of those heavenly Palaces 3. By the incredible distance from the earth to the Starry Firmament If I should here tell you the severall computations of Astronomers in this kind the summes would seeme to exceed all possibility of beliefe And yet besides the late learnedst of them place above the eight Sphere wherein all those glorious lamps shine so bright three mooving Orbs more Now the Empyrean Heaven comprehends all these how incomprehensible then must its compasse and greatnesse necessarily be 4. By considering what a large Expansion and immensity the mighty LORD of heaven and earth is like to chuse for revealing His glory in the highest and most transcendent manner to all His noblest creatures infinitely endear'd unto Him by the bloudy death of His dearest Son even the Son of His love thorow all eternity Who doth all things like Himselfe if He love it is with a frâ—…e infinite and eternall love if He worke He makes a world If He go out with our Hosts the Sun shall stand still if need be and the Starres must fight if He come against a people He will make His sword devoure flesh and His arrowes drinke bloud if He be angry with the world He brings a sloud over the whole face of the earth If He set His affection upon a mortall worme that trembles at His Word and is weary of sinne He will make him a King give him a Paradise crowne him with eternity if He builds a house for all His holy Ones it must needs be a None-such most magnificent stately and glorious farre above the reach of the thoughts of men 5. What a spacious and specious inheritance what a rich super-eminent and sumptuous Purchase and Palace do you thinke was the precious bloud of the Son of GOD by its inestimable price and merit able to procure at the hands of His Father for His Redeemed Let us here also lay hold upon some considerations whereby we may behold at least some little glimpses of the admirable glory of its light 1. To say nothing of that glorious projection and transfusion of Aethereall light both of the Sun and of the Starres of the six magnitudes which by Astrologicall computation constitute three hundred Suns at the least whence ariseth a masse of shining beauty upward into the Empyrean Heaven which Patricius endeavours industriously to proove I say to passe it by as a groundlesse conceipt let us take a scantling as it were and estimate of the incomparable brightnesse and splendour of the highest heaven by that which Orthodoxe Divines soberly tell from Rev. 21. and other places to wit that it is verus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly light not like the Starry Firmament bespangl'd here and there with glittering spots but all as it were one great Sun From every Point powring out abundantly whole rivers as it were of purest heavenly light c. Hence with allusion to brightest things below it is said to have a wall of Iasper building of gold a foundation of precious stones and gates of pearles Being cleare as Cristall shining like unto glasse transparent in brightnesse as a molten looking glasse It may be those places may also in latitude of sense intimate and include this glorious visible light I speake of Coloss. 1. 12. Psal. 36. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Ancient Divines also apprehended this glorious beauty and brightnesse in the blessed heaven The eternall City saith Austin is incomparably bright and beautifull where there is victory verity dignity sanctity life eternity If those which be condemned saith Basill be cast into utter darknesse it is evident that those which walked worthy of GOD have their rest in supercelestiall light 2. Besides the superexcellency of its native lustre that I may so speak this blessed heaven wil yet be made infinitely more illustrious and resplendent by all the most admirable and amiable shining glory of that dearest ravishing object to a glorified eye the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST In respect of the beauty and brightnesse whereof all sydereall light is but a darksome mote and blackest mid-night See Mat. 17. 2. 3. Adde hereunto the incredible and unspeakble splendour of many millions of glorified Saints whose bodies also will out-shine the Sun See Mat. 13. 43. Phil. 3. 21. Dan. 12. 3. Who are said to shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament as the Stars Dan. 12. 3. As the Sun Mat. 13. 43. To be like CHRIST Himselfe Iohn 3. 2. And to appeare with Him in glory Col. 3. 4. Now what a mighty and immeasurable masse of most glorious light will result and arise from that most admirable illustrious concurrence and mutuall shining reflexions of the Empyrean Heaven more bright and beautifull than the Sun in his strength the Sun of that sacred Pallace and all the blessed Inhabitants All which every glorified eye shal be supernaturally inlarged enabled and ennobl'd to behold and enjoy in a kindly and comfortable manner with ineffable delight and everlastingnesse 4. If the porch and first entry be so stately and glorious garnished and bespangl'd with so many bright shining Lights and beautifull Starres What workmanship
evill conscience attends the one of which eats out their heart when we expect an harvest The other seizes upon the Soule in the time of sorrow and sinks it into the lowest hell And as Men of GOD and Sonnes of Wisdome to mount our thoughts and raise our spirits and bend our affections to things above which are as farre from diminution and decay as the Soule from death and can be no more corrupted or shaken than the Seat and Omnipotency of GOD surprised For besides that they infinitely surpasse in eminency of worth and sweetnesse of pleasure the comprehension of the largest heart and expression of any Angels tongue they also out-last the dayes of heaven and run parallell with the life of GOD and line of Eternity As we see the Fountaine of all materiall light to powre out his beames and shining abundantly every day upon the world without wearinesse emptinesse or end so and incomparably more doth joy and peace glory and blisse spring and plentifully flow every moment with fresh streames from the face of the Father of Lights upon all His holy ones in heaven and that everlastingly O blessed then shall we be upon our beds of death if following the counsell of our dearest LORD who shed the most precious and warmest bloud in His heart to bring our soules out of hell we treasure ap now in the meane time heavenly hoards which will ever happily hold out a stocke of grace which never shrinks in the wetting but abides the triall of the spirit and touch-stone of the Word in all times of danger and Day of the LORD even that accurate circumspect and precise walking pressed upon us by the Apostle Eph. 5. 15. Though pestilently persecuted and plagued by the enemies of GOD in all ages And that purity which Saint Iohn makes a property of every true-hearted Professour 1 Iohn 3. 3. So much opposed and bitterly opprest by the world and yet without which none of us shall ever see the face of GOD with comfort If while it is called To Day we make our peace with His heavenly Highnesse by an humble continued exercise of repentance by standing valiantly on His side by holding an holy acquaintance at His mercifull Throne with a mighty importunity of prayer and godly conversation above by ever offering up unto Him in the armes of our Faith when he is angry the bleeding Body of His owne crucified SONNE never giving Him over or any rest untill He bepleased to register and enroll the remission of our sinnes in the Booke of Life with the bloudy lines of CHRISTS Soule-saving sufferings and golden characters of His owne eternall love If now before we appeare at the dreadfull Tribunall of the euer-living GOD and little know we whose turne is next we make our friends in the Court of Heaven the blessed Angels in procuring their joy and love by a visible constancy in the fruits teares and truth of a sound conversion The Spirit of comfort by a ready and reverent entertainment of His holy Motions and inspirations of grace the Sonne and Heire of the King of glory the Foundation and Fountaine of all our Blisse in this world and the world to come from whose meritorious bloud shed and blessed mediation arise all those flouds of mercy and favour which refresh our Soules in this vale of teares and also those unknown bottomlesse seas of pleasure peace and all unspeakable delights which will superabound and overflow with new and fresh sweetnesse for ever and ever in the Paradise of GOD. Blessed are they that ever they were borne who have already got Him their Advocate at the right hand of His Father For besides many other glorious priviledges thereby in all their exigents and extremities they may be ever welcome to the Seat of mercy and be sure to speed If a man had a suit unto the King it were a comfortable and happy thing to find a friend in Court But if the Kings speciall and choisest Favourite nay His own only Son were his Intercessour how confident would he be to prevaile and prosper to conquer his opposites and crowne his desires Why then should any poore Christian be discomforted and cast downe nay why should he not be extraordinarily raised and ravished in spirit with much joyfull hope and sweet assurance when he throwes himselfe downe at the Throne of grace sith the dearest Sonne of the eternall GOD the Heire of heaven and earth the Mediator of the great Covenant of endlesse salvation is his Advocate at the hand of His All-mighty Father in the most high and glorious Court of Heaven Wherefore when an humbled soule and trembling spirit is sore troubled and almost turned backe from his purpose of prayer and prostration at the foot of heavenly Majesty by entertaining before hand a feeling apprehension of his owne abhorred vilenesse and the holy purity of GODS all-seeing and searching eye which cannot looke on iniquity let this consideration comfort and breed confidence that IESVS CHRIST the Son of GODS love doth sollicite and tender the suit who out of His owne sense and sympathy of such like troubles and temptations doth deale for us with a true a naturall and a sensible touch of compassionatenesse and mercy Shall that blessed Saviour of ours call and cry for a pardon to His Father for those which put Him to death who were so farre from seeking unto him that they sought and suckt his bloud and shall He shut His eares against the groanes of thy grieved spirit and heavy sighes of thy bleeding soule who values one drop of His bloud at an higher price than the worth of many worlds It cannot be Thus that saying of Salomon and this counsell of CHRIST makes good the truth of the Point which may further appeare by these Reasons 1. Taking this counsell betime and hoarding up heavenly things in this harvest time of grace mightily helps to asswage the smart mollifie the bitternesse and illighten the darknesse of the evill Day It is soveraigne and serves to take the venime sting and teeth out of any crosse calamity or distresse and so preserves the heart from that raging hopelesse sorrow which like a devouring Harpie dries up dissolves and destroyes the bloud spirits and life of all those who are destitute of such a divine Antidote What vast difference may we discerne betweene Iob and Iudas David and Achitophel in the daies of evill The two men of God being formerly enriched with his favour and familiarity so behaved themselves the one in the ship-wracke of his worldly happinesse the other in the hazard of his Kingdome as though they had not beene troubled at all The LORD gave and the LORD hath taken away saith Iob when all was gone blessed be the name of the LORD If I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD saith David He will bring me againe and shew me both it and His habitation But if He thus say I have no delight in thee behold here
am I let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him But the spirits of the other two false and rotten-hearted fellowes in the time of trouble were so overtaken nay over whelmed with griefe that they both hanged themselves 2. This holy providence before hand may happily prevent a great deale of restlesse impatiency reprobate feares forlorne distractions of spirit hying to the caves crying to the mountaines bootlesse relying upon the arme of flesh Cursing their King and their GOD and looking upward roaring out with hideous groanes Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings c. All which desperate terrours and tumultuations of conscience are wont to surprize and seize upon unholy and unprepared hearts especially when GODS hand is finally and implacably upon them 3. And we shall hereby excellently honour and advance the glory of Profession when it shall appeare to the world and even the contrary-minded are enforced to confesse that there is a secret heavenly vigour undauntednesse of spirit and noblenesse of courage which mightily upholds the hearts of holy men in those times of confusion and feare when theirs melt away within them like water and be as the heart of a woman in her pangs Worldlings wonder and gnash the teeth hereat When they see as Chrysostome truly tels us the Christian to differ from them in this that he beares all crosses couragiously and with the wings as it were of faith out soares the height of all humane miseries He is like a Rocke incorporated into IESVS CHRIST the Rocke of eternity still erect inexpugnable unshaken though most furiously assaulted with the tempestuous waves of any worldly woe or concurrent rage of all infernall powers But all the imaginary man-hood of gracelesse men doth ever in the day of distresse either vanish into nothing or dissolve into despaire 4. Expression of spirituall strength in the time of trouble from former heavenly store is a notable meanes to move others to enter into the same good way and grow greedy after grace to draw and allure them to the entertainment and exercise of those ordinances and that One necessary thing which onely can make them bold and unmooveable like Mount Zion in the day of adversity I have knowne some the first occasion of whose conversion was the observation of their stoutnesse and patience under oppressions and wrongs whom they have purposely persecuted with extremest malice and hate So blessed many times is the brave resolute and undaunted behaviour of GODS people in the time of triall and amidst their forest sufferings that it breeds in the hearts of beholders thoughts even of admiration and love nay a desire of imitation and turning on the other side When they represent to the eye of the world their ability to passe thorow the raging flames of fiery tongues untouched to possesse their soules in peace amidst scorpions thornes and rebels to passe by basest indignities from basest men without wound or passion to hold up their heads above water in the most boisterous tempests and deepest seas of danger to triumph over all adversary power in the evill day I say by GODS blessing this may make many come in and glorifie GOD marvelling and enquiring whence such invincible fortitude and bravenesse of spirit should spring concluding with Nabuchadnezzar Surely The servants of the most high GOD. And so at length their affections may be so set on edge after the excellency and amiablenesse of IESVS CHRIST who being The mighty GOD and The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah doth alone inspire all His with such a Lion-like courage that they may seriously and savingly seek His face and favour saying with those Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved O thou fairest among women That we may seeke Him with thee When they behold such a deale of Majesty and miâ—…th to shine in his face whom they make the marke of all their spitefull rage and revenge their teeth with which they could have torne him in peeces may water and they industriously desire to know what that is which makes such a man so merry in all estates Vses 1. This may serve to awaken and reprove all those secure and carelesse companions who if they may enjoy present contentment and partake in the meane time of the prosperity and pleasures of the times wherein they tumble themselves with insolency luxury and ease take no thought make no provision at all against a day of reckoning provide no food against a foule day treasure up no comfort against the LORDS coming prepare no armour or aid for that last and dreadfull conflict upon their beds of death Alas poore soules Did they know and feelingly apprehend what a deale of horrour astonishment and anguish dogs them continually at the heeles ready and eager after a few daies of filthy and fugitive pleasures to seize upon them like travaile upon a woman with child suddenly unavoidably and in greatest extremity and that so intolerable that they shall never be able either to decline or endure the very weakest biting of the never-dying worme or the least sparkle of those everlasting flames they would think all the daies of their life few enow to gather spirituall strength against that fearefull houre Nay some are such cruell caitifs and Cannibals to their owne soules and so accursedly blinded by the Prince of darknesse that instead of comfortable provision they heape up wrath against the day of wrath instead of grace GODS favour and a good conscience peace joy and refreshing from the presence of the LORD they lay up scourges and Scorpions for their naked soules and guilty consciences against the time and terrour of the LORDS visitation For let them be most assured all their lies oathes rotten and railing speeches all their covetous lustfull ambitious and malicious thoughts all their swaggering and furious combinations against GODS people sensuall revellings joviall meetings c. will all When their feare commeth as desolation and their destruction commeth as a whirlewind like so many envenimed stings run into their sinfull soules and pierce them thorow with everlasting sorrow Alas What will the sonnes and daughters of pleasure do then And all those spirituall beggers and bankerupts who have greedily hunted all their life long after these mortall things of this life as if their soules had beene therein immortall and utterly neglected those things which are immortall as if their selves after the world had been but mortall What do you think wil be their thoughts upon the very first approach of the Port of death to which in the meane time all winds drive them Fullsad and heavy thoughts LORD thou knowest then at leisure enough to reflect severely upon their former folly though formerly beaten from them by their health and outward happinesse and will pay them to the uttermost for all the pleasing passages of their life past O then they shall lie upon their last beds like Wild Buls in
experience of His all sufficiency extraordinary exercise of faith sweeter taste in the Promises closer cleaving to the Word clearer sight of divine excellencies heartier longing for heavenly joyes c. One drop of which spirituall refreshing deawes distilling upon the soule even in greatest outward distresse one glimpse of such glorious inward joyes shining from the face of the Sun of salvation into the saddest heart in the darkest dungeon doth incredibly surpasse all the comfort which wife children wealth or in a word any worldly good or mortall greatnesse can possibly yeeld 4. Or in posterity by a very remarkable if not miraculous providence and care for them Consider for this purpose that GOD-fearing Prophet 2 Kings 4. who upon the matter and in the true meaning denied himselfe and forsooke all for GODS sake For he doth so also who preferres the glory of GOD the Gospell the cause of CHRIST and keeping of a good conscience before any or all earthly things holding fast unfainedly a resolution if he be put to it and times require really and actually to leave all for CHRIST This good man might have applied himselfe to the present served the times sought the Court and sate at Iezabels Table with her other temporizing trencher-chaplaines But it is said in the Text that he feared the LORD and so disdained and abhor'd to gaine by humouring greatnesse to grow rich and rise by basenesse and flattery And therefore did chuse rather to die a begger to leave his wife in debt and expose his children to the bondage of cruell creditours than any waies to make ship-wracke of a good conscience or consent and concurre to the adulterating of GODS sincere and purer worship But mark what followes rather than the wife and children of such a man who preferred GODS glory before his owne preferment shall suffer want they must be relieved by a miraculous supply as appeares in the story 5. Or in good name which is rather to be chosen than great riches saith Salomon For instance compare together Bradford and Bonner The name of that blessed man shall be of most deare and glorious memory to all that love our LORD IESVS CHRIST in sincerity untill His second comming and it is like we shall looke upon him and the rest of that royall Army of Martyrs in Queene Maries time with thoughts of extraordinary sweetnesse and love in the next world thorow all eternity But now the remembrance of that other fellow who like a bloud-thirsty Tyger made such horrible havocke of the Lambs of CHRIST shal be had in a most abhorred execrable and everlasting detestation The name of the fore-named noble Marquesse who left and and lost all with a witnesse for the Gospels sake shall be infinitely more honoured of all honest men so long as any one heavenly beame of GODS eternal truth shall shine upon earth than his uncles Paul the fourth or all that Rope of Popes from the first rising to the finall ruine of that Man of sinne Nay theirs shall rot everlastingly but his shall re-flourish with sweetnesse and fresh admiration to the worlds end 2. That to die is but to be once done and if we erre in that one action we are undone everlastingly And therefore have thine end ever in thine eye Let all our abilities businesses and whole being in this life let all our thoughts words actions referre to this one thing which as it shall be well or ill ended is attended either with endlesse plagues or pleasures with eternity of flames or felicity 3. That thou maist looke upon thy last bed tobe full sorely terribly assaulted by the king of feare accompanied with all his abhorred horrours and stinging dread by the fearefull sight of all thy former sinnes arrayed and armed in their grisliest formes and with their fieriest stings with the utmost craft and cruelty of all the powers of darknesse and the very powder-plot of the prince of hell that roaring Lion who hath industriously laboured to devoure thy soule all thy life long with the terrour of that just and last Tribunall 〈◊〉 which thou 〈◊〉 ready to passe to reckon precisely with Almighty GOD for all things done in the flesh What manner of man ought thou to be 〈◊〉 iâ—… the meane time in all holy care fore-cast and casâ—…g about to give up thine account 〈◊〉 comfort at that dreadfull houre Be so farre from deserring repentance in this Day of visitation and patting off till that time For how canst thou possibly attend so great a busines when thou art beset with such a world of wofull worke and hellish rage That â—…hou â—…hould est in this thy day like a sonne of wisdome constantly ply and improove all opportunities occasions offers every moment Ministry mercy motions of the Spirit checks of conscience corrections temptations c. To store thy selfe richly with spirituall strength against that last encounter and of highest consequence either for eternall happinesse or unconceiveable horrour 4. That thy body when the soule is gone wil be an horrour to all that behold it a most loathsome and abhorred spectacle Those that loved it most cannot now find in their hearts to looke onâ—… by reason of the griesly dâ—…formednesse which death will put upon it Downe it must into a pit of carions and confusion covered with wormes not able to wagg so much as a little finger to remoove the vermine that feed and gnaw upon its flesh and so moulder away into rottennesse and dust And therefore let us never for the temporary transitory ease pleasure and pampering of a râ—…inous and rotten carkasse bring everlasting misery upon our immortall soules Let us never for a little sensuall short and vanishing delight flowing from the three filthy puddles of the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life drowne both our bodies and soules in a dungeon shall I say nay in a boyling sea of fire and brimstone where we can see no banks nor feele no bottome 5. That when the soule departs this life it carries nothing away with it but grace GODS favour and a good conscience The Sun of all worldly greatnesse prosperity and joy then sets for ever Even Crownes Kingdomes Lands Livings and all earthly Possessions are everlastingly left And what will an immortall soule destitute of divine grace do then Then will that now newly-separated soule finding no spirituall store or provision laid up in this life against the evill day with an irksome and furious reflexion looke backe upon all its time spent in the flesh and beholding there nothing but abominations guiltinesse and sinne Presently awakes the never dying worme which having formerly had its mouth stopt with carnall delights and musâ—…'d up with outward mirth will now feed upon it with horrour anguish and desperare rage world without end O then let these precious deare everlasting things breath'd into our Bodies for a short abode in this Vale of teares by the